Guidance

Saudi Arabia: Knowledge Base profile

Published 1 May 2024

About: Saudi Arabia

This document contains useful information about Saudi Arabia which will assist HM Passport Office staff process passport applications.

Contacts

If you have any questions about the document and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the document has factual errors then email the Guidance team.

If you notice any formatting errors in this document (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the document then you can email the Guidance team.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the document was published:

• version 2.0
• published for Home Office staff on 26 April 2024

Changes from last version of this document

This document has been updated with minor formatting changes.

Saudi Arabia: names

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about names in Saudi Arabia.

Names in Saudi Arabia consist of:

• forename
• father’s forename
• grandfather’s forename
• surname

Change of name

Name changes are allowed in Saudi Arabia and are done by a court.

Saudi Arabia: nationality

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality in Saudi Arabia.

Dual nationality is illegal in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia: parental responsibility

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about parental responsibility in Saudi Arabia.

Parental responsibility

Both parents will hold parental responsibility if the parents are married when the child is born.

Saudi Arabia: adoption

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about adoption in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia has no laws relating to adoption.

Saudi Arabia: surrogacy

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about surrogacy in Saudi Arabia.

Surrogacy is not allowed in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia: gender recognition

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about gender recognition in Saudi Arabia.

Transgender citizens are not recognised in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia: marriage

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about marriage in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia marriages are conducted under Islamic law.

Polygamous marriages and proxy marriages are recognised in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia: documents

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents from Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia use Hijri dates, which are different to the dates used in the Gregorian calendar.

Birth certificates

One parent must be resident in Saudi Arabia in order to obtain a birth notification or birth certificate.

All births must be registered within a month of the birth with the Civil Affairs Department of the Ministry of the Interior, who issue the birth certificate.

If there is an error on the birth certificate the certificate will be re-issued with correct information.

Marriage certificates

All marriages must be registered in the Court of marriages and are registered before the ceremony is conducted. A certificate or a marriage booklet will be issued.

Death certificates

All deaths in Saudi Arabia are registered and a certificate issued. A death must be registered within a month of the date of death with the Civil Affairs Department of the Ministry of the Interior.

Identity documents

Saudi Arabia issues residence permits to foreign nationals, this will show a photo of the holder. Saudi Arabia passports do not include the place of birth.